Folding crate.



J. H. KIDWELL.

FOLDING CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED rmm, 1911.

` 1,012,366. Patented Dec.19,1911

2 SHEETS-SEEET 14 WmvEssEs.- IN1/EN T'o/e.

dlZweZZ J. H. KIDWBLL.

FOLDING CRATE.

APPLIUATIQN MLED 1123.111111.

Patented Dec. 19, 1911.

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Ntrarre; STATES BEST avan .AB by? Specification of Letters Patent.

romaine cnam.

Patented nee. 19, ieri.

Application tiled February 9, 1911. Serial No. 607,526.

To all whom it may concern:

Be .it known that I, Jon'N 'Henner KmwnnL, a citizen of the United States of America, residing,- at Pittsburgh, -inthe county of Allegheny and State of Penn Sylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements .in Folding Crates,-ef

, which the following is a specification, referene being had ltherein to the accompanying: drawlng. A

This invention relates to folding crates,

and the objects of my invention are, first,

to provide acrate that can be advanta geously used for shii'lping poultry, fruit and various kinds of merchandise; second, to provide a crate consisting of comparatively few parts that can be folded and collapsed to occupy a comparatively small space in Storace or transportation; third, to furnish a folding crate with novel means for maintaining' it rigid when in a set up position, and fourth, to accomplish the above results by a mechanical construction that is simple, durable and inexpensive to manufacture.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construe-` tion, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter specifically described and then particularly claimed. y

In describing the invention in detail, referencc will be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals of refer ence designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which:- f

Figure 1 is a perspective view o l the crate in a set up position, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the crate in a folded position, Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of the same, taken on the line HL-lll of Figui?, Fig. L1' is a perspective view of the crate in "a folded position, and Fig. 5 is a lengt tudinal sectional view of a portion of the crate.

A crate in accordance with this invention comprises `a rectangular base plate havngr lsecured upon its upper face at each end their ends abutting-against the ends of the' thereof vertically disposed and transverse cleats 2 and further. havin,r secured to its upper face in proximity to the front and rear thereof vertically-disposed longitudi-l nally-extending cleats 3. The cleats 2 are flush with the end edges of the base plate While the cleats 3 are flush with the side edges of said plate. The cleats tl areof greater lengtln than the 'cleats and have collapsed by the sets cleats 2. The cleats 3 are also of greater 'depth than the depth of the cleats 2 for a purpose which will presently appear.`

The cleats 2 are slotted, as at 1 and piv-` lotally mounted in said slots by rods 5 are the lower ends of Vertical bars 6. The rods 5 extend longitudinally of the cleats 2 and pivotally support the bars 6, whereby said bars can be swung inwardly upon the base plate l. The bars G have the inner sides thereof connected by transversely arranged slats 7 and 8, the slat 8 extending above the upper ends of the hars (3. The bars G and the slats 7 and 8 constitute the end walls of 'the crate, and the crate is of a suflicient length to permit of the end walls being swung inwardly with the free ends of said walls confronting each other upon the base plate. f f

Ther upper edges of the longitudinal cleats 3 adjacent to the ends thereof, are provided 'with two sets of slots l), and pivotally mounted in said slots by longitudinalpins l0 are the lower ends` of links 11, the pins 10 extending throughout the length of each cleat andthe links 11 beine' arranged in sets. Pivotally mounted between `the upper ends of the links of each set by pins l2 are the lower ends of single linksl 13, said single links having the upper ends `thereof pvotally mounted in slots 14 pro vided therefor in the lower edges of the longitudinal rails 15 of -a rectangular lid frame. The side rails 15 of the lid frame have Vthe ends thereof connected hy end rails 16 of less depth than the longitudinal rails 15, and hinged to the outer edge of one of the longitudinal rails 15 1s a lid 17 adapted to close the rectangular frame.

The upper ends of the single links 13 are pivotally retained within the slots 14 by pins 18 extending. throughout thel length of each of the ralls 15, and the pins 12 connecting the links ll and 13 are of a sutilcient length to extend from one set of links l1 to thc ether set.

The `set of links 1.1 have the inner sides thereof provided with longitudinal slats 19 and the single links 18 are connected upon the inner sides by longitudinal slats 20, the

slats 19 and 20 cooperating with the slats,z

of the end walls in forming the framework of the crate.

After the end walls have been folded inwardly, the side walls of the crate can be of links 1l. folding in- I wardly andi-the single links 13 folding outwardly, thereby allowing the lid frame to rest upon the upper edges of the longitudinal cleats 3,/and with the lid 17 in a closed l position the crate forms a compact parcel.

"' The lower ends of the barsv6 of the endv walls and the ends of the links 1l and 13 are' rounded, whereby the crate can be easily collapsed, 4and in some instances, ad-- ditional links 11 and 13, as shown in dotted."

lines, Fig. 1, can be Iemployed when the side Walls of `the crate are of considerable' length. a

To place the collapsed crate in a set up position, it is necessary to open the lid' 17, raise the lid frame and then the end walls. As' the. end walls areswung to apvertlical position, the ends of the slats 7^engage the inner sides of the slats 19 and 2O and there- 20 by brace and prevent accidentalcollapse of the side Walls. The vertical position of the understood that the structural elements` thereof are susceptible to such changes as fall within the scope of the appended claim.` What I claim is folding crate comprising top and botl 'tom members, each having a rectangular Loraaee sides by link constructions adapted to permit' said members to be Aspaced apart or be in close proximity to provide an expanded or folded structure, said link constructions carrying slats jon their inner faces,` end members each comprising spaced-apart bars i contour andl connected together at opposite' pivotally` connected yto the bottom frame member above the plane of the upper face of the bottom ofthe crate and intermediate and spaced from. the planes of the inner faces of the side Walls of the crate when in operative position and adapted to be folded vinwardly between said members when in` folded or collapsed position and slats securedv to. said bars and positioned to'lie betweencorresponding slats of -opposite link constructions to prevent, when 1n operative position, collapsing of the link structures y inwardly, said bars being of a,length to fit beneath and support the top member when in expanded position to retain the top and bottom members from relativel collapsing, each of said'end members also having a stop adapted to contact ,with the inner face of the ends of the top frame to prevent the end members from `movlng outwardly beyond an operative position, and a cover for the top frame.

In testimonyxwhereof I aiiixmy signature'in .the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN HENREY KIDWELL'.

Witnesses: s

MAX'H. SRoLovrrz, CHRIs'rINA T. Hoon. 

